Long lost friend

Yesterday night before sleeping I grabbed my phone and browsed on Facebook. I went to see friend request area. There were couple of friends requests that people requested me to add as his or her friend. Usually when people requested it, if I knew them, I would immediately add them as friend but if the name sounds stranger and no photo to be recognized, I would press 'later'. Then their names would appear in this place. I don't have a habit to just add anyone to be my friend in Facebook. Not necessarily I met the person before but at least I know who they were.

While looking at the list, I deleted those that I didn't know at all. Some was company that tried to promote their product and services. Then I saw another stranger's name. Hmmm... Did I know her?? How did she know me?? Next, I took a look if there were any photos and there were. Eh, familiar la this face... Then I browsed more photos and realized that I knew her!!! I added her immediately.

After a while I thought of writing a message to her asking how she has been. Unexpectedly, she was online. I wrote her a message and we chatted for a while.

She was my junior, 2 years below me during Senior High School's time, who was also my classmate's younger sister. But we got close not because of that.  We went to same temple, listening to Buddha Dhamma almost every Sunday. What made us closer was that we were in the same group of choir there and performed together in few occasions.

Because of this choir activity I managed to know so many friends and we got close easily as we attended other activities together. We practised singing almost every week. Only since I left to Beijing I had to separate with them including her. That was the last time I saw her ba!

Occasionally I would meet other choir friend and she would update me some news. From this friend I found out that she was writing and publishing a story book. She used other name as the author's name so only close people would know that she was the real writer. I had and read her book as given by my friend.

Her book :)

Recently I heard bad news happened to her. I was so sorry and sad to hear the news but at that time I didn't have her contact. That's why yesterday I was so happy and exciting to see her again on Facebook.

Despite what happened, I was pretty sure she would be strong enough to face the impermanence and sudden loss of her loved one. From her sound last night, from her photos and her posts in Facebook, I could tell that she has accepted of what happened and diverted her attention to more other useful things like spreading Dhamma that she has learned. Keep it up, Ok?

In our conversation, she said that just a night ago or that morning she was thinking about me. I said, how come?? Seemed like there were electric current, a sign that both of us would encounter each other. She said, she suddenly remembered that both of us were taking train from Jakarta to Bandung to go for the Vipassana Graha temple's opening. Just two of us. We were so brave at that time. We sat at the staircase where not many people sitting there so we thought we were at exclusive seating area Hahaha....

I was like... thinking hard and asked her back, 'Did we?? How come I couldn't remember that?? Did you remember how we went back?' She replied, 'Yes, we did. But I couldn't remember how we went back.' Hahaha... Then we laughed together.

It's good to hear her laughing. She also said that she just went to Singapore in June. Too bad we were too late to find each other.

We stopped our conversation as it's late and I needed to sleep but agreed to chat more next time.

Wow!!! It's a wonderful feeling being able to find my long lost friend. I hope we would have good karma to meet in person one day.

It's raining and cool morning. It soothes my gloomy mood again. Time to work now. Have a great day everyone!! Remember life is short, live your life to the fullest, always!!!